


Opportunistic Betrayal

by Edollhouse



Category: Vikings (TV)
Genre: F/M, Implied Relationships, Infidelity, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-17
Updated: 2015-03-17
Packaged: 2018-03-18 06:15:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3559127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Edollhouse/pseuds/Edollhouse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>King Ecbert could clearly see what was developing between the Princess and their young monk. And once he saw it, how could he possibly just stand by and do nothing? Aethelwulf finds out his father's plan.<br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	Opportunistic Betrayal

**Author's Note:**

> The reason (my reason) why Ecbert has not yet acted on what he is so obviously aware of

He has never been a passionate man, not in hate, love, grief or anger, but now he is overwhelmed by all of those emotions as he has never been before. Wandering back and forth in the small room, gently rocking the child, he tries not to give in to the threatening tears, tries not to feel as broken as he senses that he might be before all of this is over. He has brought her their baby after hearing that no one else would, but he is still reluctant to let her hold the child he now over and over has to remind himself is really his. It is not really a real doubt, but the thought is there whenever he is not looking into those big eyes which so clearly mirrors his own.

She has watched him in silence for several minutes, or at least his arms. They have not let her see her child since they locked her up, probably on her father-in-law’s instructions. Aethelwulf has been the only one to agree, but now she is too scared of what he’ll do if she actually asks him to let her hold their little one. He hasn’t even looked at her since he greeted her when he stepped into the room. Then he suddenly stops, presses the child to his chest and looks somewhere just above her head.

“He will punish you, and I cannot stop him” he states and though he might be able to hold back the tears, he cannot hold back the hopelessness in his voice. How could he possible argue with his father’s decision, the King’s decision?

She has never seen him like this before and it scares her. Tears are rolling down her cheeks as she lets her gaze fall where she sits on the bed. Finally she dares to look up at him, searching his beseeching eyes and she reaches for him, but he takes a step back and she is left holding out her hand. After a deep breath she starts talking, slowly in order to stop her voice from shaking.

“Aethelwulf, husband, please, I am sorry. I did not mean to betray you, I was . . . I was weak. Please, please . . . Forgive me” she slides down on her knees in front of him, begging him to take her back, to forgive her, to protect her and he really wishes he could.

Her usually so calm and strong husband now looks genuinely desperate for a moment and then he calls for the nurse. There is scrambling by the door, turning of locks and Judith watches her child being carried away without even so much as a kiss from her. Her husband stays however, with the child gone he seems more collected and he kneels down and takes hold of her shoulders as he makes eye contact with her.

“I forgive you” that doesn’t mean he doesn’t hate her for what she has done, but he honestly forgives her, knowing that he cannot be completely blameless in all this. She tries a small smile through the tears, but it quickly vanishes when he continues “But that won’t help matters. You let it be publically known that you lay with a man who was not your husband, a monk.” 

His phrasing is far kinder than the one that was thrown in her face before they locked her up. Then they said that she was a harlot who had whored herself to the Northmen and betrayed her husband, the next king of Wessex, as well as Jesus Christ. She wonders if he finds the thought of her betraying him with a monk easier to handle than her betraying him with a pagan. Knowing he is now her only friend she hurries to agree.

“I did wrong, I admit what I did was very wrong.”

“And you betrayed your king, a king who let all this happen” That’s how she first tried to explain it to him, that his father stood by and did nothing. Now she thinks that it might have been a big mistake to in any way try to implicate the King.

“He tried to dissuade me, tried to always keep me close to keep an eye on me. I . . . I think he sensed my weakness, but I guess he never thought I would actually . . .”

Aethelwulf gets a painful expression and is forced to rise and get away from her. He leans on the wall he would rather punch and tries to compose himself “You underestimated him, Judith. You still underestimate him” he can’t imagine that she cannot see that his father has used her, her and Athelstan.

-

“Do you intend to punish Athelstan as well?” it is a bitter question because Aethelwulf believes he already knows the answer.

“He is as guilty as she. I have had him locked up as well, as you well know” his father answers absentmindedly focusing on the grandchild on his knee. He has showed an increased interest lately, but Aethelwulf suspects it his mostly a precaution to make sure no one gets the idea to bring the child to Judith.

Aethelwulf drops his head, finding his suspicions confirmed. Athelstan will probably be sentenced to death, and then he will somehow manage to escape, to run off to the Northmen and Ragnar’s protection, and his father will deny that he had anything to do with it. 

He wonders if this has been his father’s plan all along. His father is a wise man, an intelligent political genius, but he cannot predict the future and he cannot see how this could have been the plan from the very beginning, though of course that depends on what counts as the beginning. He thinks back on when he was introduced to the idea of marrying the princess of the Northumbria.

\- 

“Father” Aethelwulf greets with a slight bow when he walks into the room where his father is seated at the high end of the table, keeping the formality even though they are alone. His father gestures for him to sit down next to him and so he does “You wished to speak to me.”

“I have invited King Aelle of Northumbria to negotiate an alliance” Ecbert informs his son, who nods and then looks expectantly at him. This is not the sort of important news that requires a private audience, but he knows better than to rush. “We should capitalize on the chaos in Mercia, for that we need Northumbria. It’s a shared opportunity and an alliance could also help us with our problem with the Northmen.”

“Sounds very good, Father” he still knows there is something his father is not telling him, something hanging in the air, but the King remains silent and soon the Prince realizes that he is supposed to fill in the blanks. “King Aelle will surely agree that Mercia is an opportunity and that the Northmen are a shared problem” he thinks for a while “But since we are the ones suggesting the alliance, they might think we have more to gain from it” the corner of his father’s mouth makes an encouraging twitch “We are the stronger party, so they might not trust us not to only use them as long as it is strategically in our favour. They will want assurance, a real alliance, to strengthen the bond and so . . .”

The realization hits him and his father looks at him with keen intensive eyes. Aethelwulf sighs, leans back in his chair and takes a mouthful of the wine in his father’s goblet. “Are you sure this court is ready for a princess?” it is asked in jest. He knows the answer will not affect the outcome.

Truth be told he does not find the idea of a wife at all unpleasant. He has always known that he would get married and with his father taking care of things, he has always known it would be with someone who would help constitute a favourable alliance and or fortune for Wessex. Children have also been on his mind, sons as well as daughters. He has always imagined that he would be a good father, has always wanted a big family and hopes that Princess Judith feels the same way.

Ecbert chuckles, convinced that one day his son will prove himself to be as good a diplomatic strategist as he is a warrior. “I am sure all of Wessex will love her. If I recall correctly she is very beautiful and intelligent, yes, very much like her mother. I am glad you approve.” He reaches for the wine and pours another goblet, refills the one that Aethelwulf is holding and proposes a toast. 

“Father, they are yet to agree” Aethelwulf reminds him and Ecbert lets out another chuckle. He rarely celebrates in advance, but some people are predictable enough to let him do so. 

“They will” he assures his son and then leans back in his chair “Of course I will not throw this suggestion at them. It is possible that King Aelle will decide to trust me without so great reassurance, though I highly doubt it. So what do you think of your future father-in-law?” They met King Aelle last time they visited Northumbria, but did not discuss the man much at the time. Aethelwulf, who has just taken a mouthful of the wine, makes an opposing sound and swallows.

“He will be our ally and she will be my wife, but I am your son, Father” he leans forward, pleased with himself for knowing his father’s mind “I know that just because an alliance is sealed with marriage does not mean it cannot break. He is a fine man, King Aelle, but I don’t think I will grow too attached . . . Though of course, I hope you will look fondly upon my wife, as I will cherish and treasure her, regardless of our relation with her father.”

-

Back then he assumed that perhaps the alliance would not hold forever, that his father’s ambition or other political circumstances would make them go to war with Northumbria sooner or later. He just thought that when it happened, his wife would be safe in her position as princess of Wessex. 

“Was it your plan all along?” he asks trying to conceal the hurt in his voice. If it was, then he rather would have known from the beginning.

“No” his father answers shortly, but notices the tension in his son’s body and continues “I have not hoped that she would betray you, Aethelwulf, but she did and . . .”

“And suddenly, as if by divine inspiration, you realized you could make use of her betrayal, punishing her . . . for betraying me, for stealing your pagan. Don’t tell me this is not personal to you.” He adds the last part even though he’s now prepared to believe that had it not been Athelstan, his father would have arranged someone else. His father is a selfish man and so he doubts he would willingly sacrifice him in such a scheme, but if Athelstan has betrayed his father then he would not put it past him to punish him as well, and punish him through the woman he left him for. “As everything else you do, this was planned. You noticed her weakness and you planned this.” 

“Aethelwulf” his father warns, nodding at the child who is almost asleep in his arms, but Aethelwulf ignores him.

“Do not think I cannot see what you are doing, that you are using her to break the alliance with Northumbria” Wessex would never break an alliance without good cause, but of course they must punish an adulterous princess and so his father has come up with a plan to force King Aelle’s hand. Until now Aethelwulf has remained logical, walking through how the mind of his father’s works, but now he can’t take it anymore “Your grandchild will end up motherless because of this, does that mean nothing to you?!”

The child stirs at the raised voice and Aethelwulf immediately takes his beloved child away from his father and into his arms. Ecbert’s gaze hardens at the accusation.

“Losing a selfish mother could be considered a blessing” He almost regrets the harsh words, but they are necessary to make his son be quiet and see reason. He knows he is a selfish man, selfish and ruthless, which is why this plan has worked so well. But this is his only child, his flesh and blood, and everything he does, he does so that he will one day be able to hand over a kingdom far greater and prosperous than the one he inherited. “I will not put her to death, Aethelwulf, but her punishment must suit her crime, what she has put you-us-Wessex through. Public humiliation”

He wants to ask his father for what crime Judith will be punished. That she managed to seduce Athelstan? That she, like so many before her, failed to see through the King’s carefully laid out plans? But he cannot ask him that, because the answer would be inconsequential. The only thing that matters is what his father is willing to do publically, and that is to punish her is such a way, such a humiliating way, that her father won’t be able to just stand by and watch.

“Or you could forgive her, as I have done. Send her to a convent for a time.” 

Ecbert raises an unimpressed eyebrow “So that people would think she was away to have her bastard. I have taught you far better than that.”

“Then admit that you have taught me well enough to recognize a scheme when I see one. Admit that you used her, used them both, and threw your daughter-in-law, my wife, into the arms of another man so that Aelle can now be forced to attack us and so . . .”

“And so the three kingdoms of England will be united . . . and whatever you think I did, I did not throw her in any man’s arms. I appreciate that you have grown fond of her and that it would be easier to accept if I had somehow made her betray you, but fact remains, I did not. One day you will see that and one day you will learn, you will both learn” he nods to the now sleeping child “how even betrayal can be used in your favour”.


End file.
